- Author: Jutta Thoerner
- Editor: Noni Todd
How can I be more organized this year before spring arrives?
Elisabeth, Paso Robles.
By Jutta Thoerner, Master Gardener
It’s never too early to prepare your garden for spring. Spring arrives on March 20th.
If you divide tasks into short segments of 30 minutes and have a list to work from, you will be prepared for spring’s arrival. Before making that list that will be specific for your garden, take a stroll through your property, pen and paper in hand. Think back to the last season: which perennials did you mean to divide, which bulbs needed digging up? Were you satisfied with your irrigation system; is this a good time to add drip irrigation to some areas of your garden? Does your compost area need another bin, or is this the year you will designate an area to start composting? Are you looking to add a veggie patch or expand your existing vegetable garden with some berry bushes? Do you have any ideas for being greener this year, maybe adding some rain barrels under your gutters?
Additional ideas for outside projects: Clean up your garden by removing any dead plant material, racking up leaves, debris and cutting back perennial grasses. Remember to feed your soil: late winter is a good time to work in a cover of 3-5 inches of well-aged compost down 18 inches into your soil. Also, freshen up perennial beds with 2 inches of high quality mulch i.e.; aged pine needles or shredded wood products will regulate moisture and keeps weeds down. A second dormant oil spray for your fruit trees can still be applied.
Inside tasks for those rainy weekends: cleaning and sharpening your garden tools or setting up a potting area in an unused corner of your garage or patio. Clean and lightly disinfect pots and containers you plan on using this spring. Start or update your planner for vegetable gardening. Rotating crops in your veggie patch is a necessity to reduce pests and disease.
Breaking down projects into small manageable segments, will guarantee that spring will not be sprung on you too early.
- Author: Kim McCue
- Editor: Noni Todd
What are the benefits of winter pruning?
Dawn S. Atascadero
By Kim McCue Master Gardener
Pruning can actually be done throughout the year, depending on the plant and the desired result. However, pruning deciduous trees and shrubs during winter dormancy is advantageous because it’s just plain easier to see what needs to be removed once the leaves have fallen and it’s nice to get things under control before the fresh burst of growth in spring.
Bare plants reveal problem areas that may compromise plant health or create safety issues. Use this opportunity to remove branches that are diseased, too dense in the center to allow sunlight and air circulation, or those that rub against each other creating gateways for disease and pests. For safety, remove dead branches from trees to keep them from breaking off and causing property damage or personal injury.
Regular winter pruning of fruit bearing and flowering trees and shrubs encourages strong crop and flower production because more energy can be directed to the remaining fruit and flower buds when dormancy breaks. Clearing dense areas in the center of the plant allows sun to reach fruit at the center of the tree aiding in the ripening process. Before pruning, however, determine whether your plant fruits or flowers on old wood versus new wood and prune accordingly.
Knowing what to prune in winter is only part of the task at hand; proper pruning technique is vital to a plant’s health, appearance and/or crop production. Always cut back to a part of the plant that will continue to grow and only use sharp, clean tools. To learn more about proper winter pruning, please join the Master Gardeners for a free Advice to Grow By workshop this Saturday, January 19th, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. The discussion will be held in the Garden of the Seven Sisters, 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. The topic is selecting, planting and caring for bare root trees and will include a pruning demonstration.
- Author: Tami Reece
- Editor: Noni Todd
By Tami Reece Master Gardener
I want to plant a tree to shade my house in the summer. Do you have any suggestions for which type of tree I should plant?
Carol C. Atascadero
You are wise to ask what variety of tree you should plant. Tree planting should begin with careful planning. Your goal should be to have a landscape that will cool your home in the summer and shield it from the winter winds. Think about the height of the tree you want to plant. What is the full grown height of the tree? Will the tree compromise building overhangs or power lines? Also, what is the canopy spread? How wide will the tree grow? You don’t want your tree to collide with buildings and you want to be a good neighbor, not having your tree grow several feet over their back fence. Does your city have any ordinances regarding trees or does your neighborhood have any HOVs? Is the tree deciduous or coniferous, or in other words, will you be raking leaves in the fall? What is the form or shape of the tree? A columnar tree will grow in less space and a round and v-shaped species will take up more space but provide the most shade. What is the growth rate of the tree or how long will it take for your tree to reach its full height? Slow growing species typically live longer than fast growing species. Does the tree provide fruit and will you have time to harvest the fruit? Also, your neighbors will not appreciate unwanted fruit dropping on their lawns and who wants over ripe fruit dropping on public sidewalks? What are the soil, sun, and moisture requirements of the tree? You need to know your planting zone or hardiness zone. This indicates the temperature extremes in which a tree can be expected to grow. A tree that should be planted in South County most likely will not survive the cold winters of North County. Finally, think of the foliage of a tree. There are trees that take on the color of sunsets with the changing of the seasons. With a little research, your yard will be beautifully landscaped with healthy, colorful trees.
- Author: Tami Reece
- Editor: Noni Todd
By Tami Reece Master Gardener
Garden in January? Absolutely! Even though the wind may be brisk outside, doing a few January chores will ensure a healthy and vibrant garden in the spring. Now is the time to plant bare root trees such as apples, peaches, pears and plums. If you have established deciduous fruit trees, prune before leaf buds form. To control peach leaf curl on deciduous trees, spray with copper or lime sulfur mixed with horticultural oil (following label instructions), but do not spray apricot trees with lime sulfur. Plant bare root roses or lilacs for a fragrant and colorful spring and prune established roses. Remove dead or damaged branches and clean all debris away from the base of the plant. As oranges, limes and lemons continue to produce, harvest fruit as it ripens. Even though you cleaned your gutters at the start of winter, you may need to clean again due to fallen leaves, now that most of the trees are bare. Also make sure to rake fallen leaves as they will smother grass if left in place. Replenish mulch to keep soil from compacting and to keep newly sprouted weeds at bay. Protect succulents when hard frosts are in the forecast, moving tender succulents under cover. Or if the pots are too heavy to move, cover in place. If the weather is too intolerable, you can always clean your gardening tools. Remove visible rust, wash and dry tools well. After drying, oil metal and wood parts of a tool to prevent further rust and cracking of wooden handles. As the holiday season ends, rather than placing your Christmas tree in your green waste, check to see if there is a drop off location for chipping and mulching of trees in your area. Finally spend those cold winter nights pouring over seed and summer bulb catalogs. You will need to order soon to have all your seeds and plants ready for your spring garden. Make sure to order at least one new variety of your favorite vegetable to try something new. Happy Gardening!
- Author: Terri Sonleitner Law
- Editor: Noni Todd
Now is the best time to select bare root fruit and nut trees.
by Terri Sonleitner Law Master Gardener
As we transition to a new year, you may be busy making resolutions. A great resolution is to visit your favorite garden or home center. Now through March is the bare root season, and your favorite local nursery or home center has their largest and freshest selection of dormant bare root fruit and nut trees available now.
Deciduous, or dormant, fruit trees available bare root include apple, apricot, cherry, fig, nectarine, peach, pear, persimmon, plum, pomegranate and prune, along with nut trees such as almond and walnut. In addition to those trees, you will find an abundant supply of bare root berries, grapes and other vines, too.
In selecting your bare root trees, look for varieties that have the right chill requirements for your location. Chill requirements equate to the number of hours below 45 degrees F, so select low-chill varieties for our coastal areas. Look for trees with well-hydrated bark, and buds should appear alive, but should not yet be actively growing.
In handling bare root trees, never allow unplanted trees to dry out. Keep roots in moist organic matter, or dig a shallow trench and bury them temporarily before planting, and resolve to plant within a short time.
For information on growing your own deciduous fruit and nut trees, we recommend consulting the University of California, California Backyard Orchard website. It has detailed information on selection, chill requirements, planting, first year care, fertilization and pruning of deciduous fruit and nut trees: http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/The_Big_Picture/
Information on “Suggested Fruit and Nut Varieties for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties’ Backyard Orchardists” is available: http://cesanluisobispo.ucanr.edu/files/61216.pdf
If all this seems daunting, our local Master Gardener “Advice to Grow By” January workshop will feature discussion and demonstrations of fruit trees and vines, including choosing the right fruit tree for your region, as well as winter care of dormant fruit trees. The workshop will be held on January 19th from 10AM to Noon in the demonstration garden at 2156 Sierra Way in San Luis Obispo. See you there!